Kresge Foundation Headquarters
Troy, Mich.
Valerio Dewalt Train Associates
Historic prairie farm sprouts a green office building
When it was still a working farm in the 19th century, the Brooks Farm was a wholly self-sufficient place that harvested the surrounding prairie’s renewable resources. Now home to the Kresge Foundation, one of the nation’s most respected philanthropic organizations, the farm has been preserved and a 21st-century building—Kresge’s new headquarters—embedded within it. In this project, Valerio Dewalt Train Associates pursued three design objectives: restoring the original, now landmarked farmhouse; creating an inviting workplace for Kresge’s staff; and developing a sustainable design strategy for the entire site.
Conceptually, the restored farmhouse building sits high above the landscape, floating on a sea of grasses. By contrast, the new construction is firmly embedded in the prairie: two-thirds of its area is below grade. The architects intended the office interiors to feel like an extension of the prairie. Wood floors echo the natural grasses, bringing a sense of the natural environment into the interior. A modular desk system recalls the building’s geometry: a ribbon of metal that passes above, through, and below the datum. The interior incorporates a number of sustainable features including a light harvesting system, energy-saving system controls, and raised floor air distribution. These elements enable the building to qualify for a LEED Gold rating and or possibly Platinum.
The design evolved through a series of brainstorming sessions with Kresge’s staff, board members, and the architects. The effect was to build a place that was more than just an office—a place where every element was willfully placed in a larger context, from the overall forms of the building to the furniture, carefully designed to integrate into a seamless whole.
Formal name of project:
Kresge Foundation Headquarters
Location:
Troy, Mich.
Gross square footage:
26,113 sq. ft.
Owner:
The Kresge Foundation
Architect:
Valerio Dewalt Train Associates
500 N. Dearborn 9th Fl.
Chicago, Il 60601
312-332-0363 tel.
www.buildordie.com
From left to right: Joseph Valerio, FAIA; Heather Salisbury, AIA; Ann Blossfeld; Dan Rappel, AIA, LEED AP; Tim Winnecke
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